Course description
Economic globalization transforms local geographies and shapes our everyday lives. At the same time, our regional and national economies influence global patterns and processes. Making sense of these spatial dynamics is crucial to understanding economic life on our planet. Economic geographers address critical questions such as: What drives particular patterns of economic globalization? Where do transnational corporations operate? Why does labour migration occur? How do consumption trends evolve? And how do location and place interact with economic processes? This course explores key issues, including the uneven development of capitalism, labour exploitation, the changing roles of states and corporations, and opportunities for building alternative, decolonized, and sustainable economies. It is ideal for students interested in geography, economics, international development, social and environmental justice, or international studies, or for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the forces shaping economic globalization.
Learning activities
The course will employ a variety of learning activities, including some of the following: lectures, fieldwork, videos and animations, individual and/or team projects, small group discussions, and map analysis.
Means of assessment
Course evaluation will be based on the course objectives and follow the Douglas College Evaluation Policy. Instructors may use a student’s record of attendance and/or level of active participation in the course as part of the student’s graded performance. Where this occurs, expectations and grade calculations regarding class attendance and participation will be clearly defined in the course outline. A minimum grade of 50% on all tests is required for a passing grade. The instructor will provide a written course outline with specific criteria during the first week of classes.
A possible evaluation scheme might be:
| Class participation and exercises |
20% |
| Field trip |
10% |
| Term project |
25% |
| Tests |
45% |
| Total |
100% |
Learning outcomes
After completing this course, a successful student will be able to
- Explain globalization, economy, and capitalism using perspectives from economic geographers.
- Explain how location, place, regions, movement, and interaction shape and are shaped by economic activities at various scales.
- Identify and assess the causes and implications of uneven economic development at multiple scales, mapping the flow of global capital, development aid, labour, commodities, consumption, and transnational corporation activities.
- Describe and compare the roles of key economic actors such as transnational corporations, governments, supranational organizations (e.g. IMF, World Bank), labour forces, and consumers.
- Assess the impact of government, finance, and international institutional policies on global development, trade flows, sustainability, and labour mobility.
- Explain social and cultural dimensions of economic activities, including issues of gender, race, citizenship, class, and identity.
- Explain how ecological and economic systems are entangled and assess different models of green or sustainable economies.
- Discuss alternatives to mainstream capitalist systems, including zero-growth, non-market, Indigenous, and sustainable approaches.
Textbook materials
Texts will be chosen from the following list, to be updated periodically. An instructor's Course Reader may be required.
Bourdin, Sébastien; Torre, André; & van Leeuwen, Eveline (Editors). (2024). Regions, Cities, and the Circular Economy: Theory and Practice. Edward Elgar Publishing.
Coe, Neil; Kelly, Phillip; & Yeung, Henry. (2020). Economic Geography: A Contemporary Introduction (3rd edition). Hoboken: Wiley Blackwell.
Barnes, Trevor, & Christophers, Brett. (2018). Economic Geography: A Critical Introduction. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons.
Hayter, Roger & Patchell, Jerry. (2016). Economic Geography: An Institutional Approach (2nd edition). Don Mills: Oxford University Press.
Mackinnon, Danny and Cumbers, Andrew. (2018). An Introduction to Economic Geography: Globalization, Uneven Development and Place (3rd ed.). New York: Routledge